The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-09-24

HAnd mister do We know ID walk I'd
crn,cl AWAY from this Mace this dav if IL
wasn't fer-fer-n
Her ragged sleeve went nm To her ewes.
her head. held high in defiance until now
dropped low: her voice faltered as she went
on:
"If if wasn't for Latv.n
sand who is Laty2,
'0The baby that that there woman hold
in her arms when she come tn the door
Her babv il is HE'S the runnin,est IittIa
thinpr an, he loves mo no does He nnte
his arms round INV necl- an, sovs ca nlain
as anv THING DON'T Won want to see him .
He amt a hit afraid or strangers. and he
likes men folks SBStbinlZs a sioht of T,atv
she does. an does Tatv,s ma ;,
The woman here came ont IN the cabin
with the adored I,atv in her arms T,ib
and | went forward to meet them The
woman's face was harsb and fo Riddino
"What's she ben telliu, Won misterg, she
asked. ga pacl, of lies IN he bonnd Tho
truth amt in her: no. il amt. Now Won Git
up to the cabin. miss, an, mind Latv. I'm
goin' to tell yer pa on We, an you'll see
what you'll git Them
"My pawr' cried Lib. "Jack Lane ai,,t
nv pap, an YOU knou it.n
''SaSS- box ~ was all the answer the wO-
man vouchsafed to this outburst from Lib.
1 stayed three weeks in Jack Lanes
cabin. for it was the only habitation within
| two miles of the place. and in those three
weeks l saw enough to convince me that
poor Lib had not told "a pack of lies' in
| describing her sufferings. Her life with the
Lanes was a hard one. They were malic-
iously and wilfully cruel to her More than
/
cruelty of Jack and Mandy Lane.
Her devotion to baby Latham did not win
from his parents any corresponding kind
ness for Lib, his willing slave. Ioften met
her carrying the heavy baby around in her
weak arms on the mountain trails.
1--WE have real good times when we're off
by our two Selves" Lib said to me one day.
1--WE talk to each other so! Pm goin' to
make man of Laty some day; he amt goin'
to be like the things there are round here.
He's goin' to have schoolin', an go out
| mong decent folks, an be somebody in the
world. Amt he purity when he's fixed upl''
He was fixed upn that day. He. had on
new pink calico dress, clumsily made and
long-sleeved white apron. His hands and
face were clean, his yellow hair lay in what
Lib called tumble curl" on top Of his
| head. | had never seen him looking so
pretty before. Lib had twined a wreath of
mountain flowers around his head and
pinned a bunch of them in front Of his coarse
white apron.
| When the time came for me to 90 away,
Lib followed RE far down the dusty road,
unmndful of 'Mandys shrilly uttered COM
mands to ''come right straight backp,
''You had better not go too far Lib" l
! =,
"'Mandy will be so severe with you"
so, well, what if she is"' asked Lib,
YEARLY; but her voice had none of its old
defiant ring, and her bright eyes were red
| and dowDcast.
II should be sorry to have you suffer on
my account" [ said.
| 80, don't. mind it, but l reckon I'll go
back now; Laty might need me- Jest
thought I'd like to go piece with you. |
been thinlzin' bout that little girl o. vourn
to-day, an thought I'd kind o. like to send
her somethin' I've got it in this little box.
1t amt much of anything, but. mebbe she'll
like it, comm so fer like"
Lib held out small, fiat pasteboard box.
! In it was bunch of pressed mountain
| flowers, tied together with bit of faded
| green ribbon-Lib's one treasured bit of
| ltlillulut luCIY.
| "Well, good bye, mister" she said
you've took more notice of me than most
folks takes, an L won't fergit ye; an I'll
try to remember some O. the things you've
said bout me bein' patient an good an all
that. They'll do to tell Laty some day.
| reckon I'm bout as good as Ill ever be-
This amt much Of place fer folks to grow
decent in. II any thing should ever happen
to Laty, I'd run away from here"
NV heart ached for the forlorn little
creature, as | watched her climbing the
mountains in her rags, while held in my
hand the one Door possession she valued
most
My business took me to a small mining
camp, five miles distant, where l was to
remain for a month. 1t was the first Of
| December before | could set day for my
departure. 1 intended starting on the
| third. On the afternoon of the second
signs of a storm were seen in the low hang
| ing clouds that hid the snow-coyered noun
tain peaks. The snow lay smooth and
white on all the mountain sides, and it was
feared that another fall would make the
mountain roads impassable
watched with dismay that gathering
storm on the afternoon of the third BY
three O'clock it was showing fast the short
day was nearly done: it was growing dark
in the narrow gulch; the wind moaned ur
/ IL.